Lamp-btem-annealino machine



Bec. 22 1925 F. U. RSS 'LAMP STEM ANNEALING MACHINE Filed July 2v, 1922INVENTOR \FRREST U. R-,OSS n AT'TORNEY UNI-TED STATES onEEsT URBAN Boss.or EAsrr ORANGE, NEW JEnsEY,.AssIGNon 'ro wEsTINGnoUsJI LAMP coMrANY,ACORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

LAMr-s'rEu-ANNEALING MACHINE.'

Application ma July 27,

.. To all 'whomvz't may concern.' I

Be it known that I, FoRREs'r URBAN Ross, v a citizen of the UnitedStates, anda resident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and 4 5State of New Jersey,.have 'invented a new and useful- Improvement inLamp-Stem- AnnealingMachines, of which the follow-'' stem through aheat-zone and subsequently discharging the stem.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine in whichy stemsmay be -moved at a uniform rate of speed through a heat-zone of varyingintensity.

A further object of the invention is to provide anannealing deviceadaptedto cooperate with a stem-making machine to expedite the annealingof stems after their 25 removal'from thevstemmaking machine.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent;from the followingdescription.

The manufacture of a lamp-stem requiresl the union of several glasswork-parts as -Well as conducting elements such as the leadingin wires.The several work-parts and. Wires are disposed in proper relation, heatis then applied to render plastic certainy portions of the work-partsafter which the plastic portions are compressed, forming the stem-pressto unite the several glass parts. Leadingfln wires are also sealedwithin the body of the press 'at the time the ress is formed.

Since the glass-parts oi) a stem are subjected to variations intemperature and undergo certain strains due to the mechanical formationof the press, it is desirable, subsequently, to anneal the stem torelieve any strains or stresses that ma have been set u within the'material. ubsequent detrimental breaks and cracks are thus avoided whenthe stem is later incor orated in a lamp, whe'rein the stem is subjectto alternate heating and cooling.

Heretofore, the annealers were usually of a type which required theoperator to thus liability toshrinkage.

'1922. serial No. 577,659.

.slide or push the stems along a guide adja-I cent an annealing fire.Thev irregular a plication of the stem tothe fire, owing tot epersonalffactcr, resulted in variations in thedegree of annealing :giveneach stem,

The present invention provides mechamsm for automatically moving stemsover or throuo'h a heat-zone at a' uniformrate 'of speed. urthermore,the device is operable 1n conjunction with a stem-makin appara- I tus,it merely being necessary for t el operator to place each stem removedfrom the apparatus 1n position .in the annealer. The

manual operation .does not entail any special eli'ort onthe part of the'operator, and but slight distraction from other duties is required, thusleaving the operator free" todevote a greater amountof attention to themaking of stems.

A machine embodying the feature of this invention'ma comprise aheat-zone, preferably create by av plurality of gas ames enclosed in achamber having its upper side cpen but ada ted to be substantiallycovered by the flare the annealing ,operation The" liames are preferablyadjusted to produce a decrease 1n temperature from the entering positionof the stems to the unloading position. A conveyor for moving stems,with portions thereof in the heat-zone, may comprise a driving pulleyand guide pulleys for moving apair of belts in parallel spaced relationupon which the stems may be positioned.

It has been found that good results are obtained with a temperaturegradient of from 450 to 200 C. over a'distance of approximately 24, andthe preferable rate of movement of a stem through theheat-zone portionsofthe stems during as abovel given may be approximately five nealingmachine, partly in section;

. Fig.v.3 is a vertical section taken on line- III-III of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan View of the inventlonshown 111 operativerelation to ya steni-niaki'ng.machine and indicates, in

dottede-"i-'ine`s,--tlie mechanical coifnection between thei'tvvomachines.

jggpifeierred*embodiment ot the` invention may comprise-:sa chamber orcoinpartment 5, (Fie. 2).` supported on legs 6 and adapted to oeconveniently positioned in proper relationto a lamp-part-maliingmachinef'. The chamber 5 may beef rectangulanform, having side walls S,end Walls 9 and' af'bottoin' plate 10. The upper side o'fthe"chamberthowever, may bel open and the "cha'mber 'may be of such proportions asto provi( `vv anelongated or trough-shaped coin- '.fgp'artmcnt, thewalls ofy which may be of any asbestos or the like, f

Asuitable'"heat-insulating material, such as 4WithiIi-'the'chamber andsuitably supported upon adjustah'lezbrackets 11 and 12 isfaburner'ineluding two pipes 13 and 14 connected'to a suitable gas-supplyline 15. Vertical 'adjustment ot the burners may be v had bymanipulationof bolts 16 and 1T stempassing from the loading position tothe unloading position is heated to a Vgiven i temperature and subjectedto gradually de- Acreasing temperatures.

.Means for conveying stems through the heat-.zone may consist of asuitable conveyor comprising a driving pulley 18 provided with twoparallel peripheral grooves 19 and 20.v The pulley is pinned vto' ashaft 21 mounted in a bearing integral vvith a bracket 22 secured totheIloading end of the machine.A l i At the opposite or unloading end ofthe annealer, a pair ofguide pulleys 23 and 24 are mounted on shafts 25and 26, respec tival. The shafts are journaled in bearings 27 and 28`which are suitably secured to the chamber 5 by means of bracket 30.

The guide pulleys 23- and 24 are provided with peripheral grooves 29 and31, respecand are so disposed with relation to tively 6 the rivingpulley 18 that the groove I9 of` the driving pulley andthe groove 290ithe guide pulley 23 are iii the same vertical-A plane and thegroove 20and the groovel 31 aire similarly disposed in a parallel plane.

A pair of heat-resisting belts 32 and 33,

which preferably comprise thin steel tapes, are positioned about thelntlle fined thcreonin parallel rla aforementioned grooves. lhe beltstutefniovable'stem-supportingieiiter and are adaptedy to transport stemsby frictional engagement with the iiare or annular portions'of thestems. Thus, the stems may be .moved Athroughthe heat-zone, with theirlongitudinal axes vertical and the press portions of the stein in thedesired, relation to the heat-zone. l i

The position'ot the pulleys to the chamber 5 is such thatl ing about thepulleys may pass o Zone within the chamber and substantially fiush withthe chamber'and also serve as a p for the eliainber. .the lower orietfurnsebi.

tions of the belts passing tlirougli'fsuitable apertures in the. endwalls 9 o tthechambeu, v

The spacing between the belt tcient tore'ceiveithefcylindric iaretubeportionfof stems, the stems vr,beii'ig y"supported by the beltsvthrough" tl'e'fiia'rev or vflanged portions 35. -Vhenv a"plurality 'ofstems have been applied tothe 'annealer' the flanged portions of thestems serve', sub- A ing to reduce heat losses.

Villien the present device isprope'rly positioned in relation to astein-making machine,

stantiallv, to close theehamb/er'ythus'help it may be driventherefromjbyl means cfa` belt sheave 36v which is secured to theshaft 21and driven by an endless belt' 37, the' latter engaging a sheave 38secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft 39 rotatable in a bearing41 integral withV a bracket 42, which may be secured to the`srieinmaking machine 7 At the lower end of the shaft 39v may be ffastened a pulley 43 which, in turn, may be driven by means of abelt 44, which may pass around any suitable continuous driving element, aspulley45, of astem-making machine (see Fig. v4). As indicated, itl ispreferable to. connect the annealer With'the shaft upon Which thetoothedmember 45 'of a Geneva movement is secured, which move- .ment causes anintermittent rotation of -a spider 46l1aving stem heads 47y rotatableinv `hubs, 48.l -The Geneva movementmay bey actuated'gby yany suitablesource of power, as a'motor (not shown). -Stem-making machinesfofthecharacter to Whichvthe' presentA invention is applicable are Wellknoivninthe art. y

For'thefp'urpose ot' receiving and guiding annealed .stemsto,anydesired-position, a chute 50 (Fig. 2),fsupported'fon va suitable.braclet51 may ber pro erly located at""theffdiseliarge', ei1djot '.t eannealer.

nseaee v,Sten1s, discharged rom the amicale-r may heads and places it inthe annealer with the lare resting on the belts 32 and 33 and the pressportion depending therefrom so stems.

that it Vis.,.mov :`d through the heatezone. Theconveyor andatheannealer may driven atfsuchrate that the conveyor will moveapesitionedrstem a distance slightly greater than the diameter of thedare by the time the operator has removed another stem from thestem-malring machine. It

` will thus be seen that, by properly timing the annealer with relationto the stem-mak ing machine', the stems may be lconveyed through theheat-zone at a rate in accordance with the rate of production of theWhen the annealer has been completely filled with stems, the flares orflanges 35 which bridge the space between the belts constitute a coveror closure for the chamber 5, and conservation of heat is effected.

As the belts move,-stems are continuallyb being discharged over theguide pulleys 23 and 24 and into chute 50 and are led to a receptacle52. rlhus the two elements or machines may cooperate to produce afinished electric incandescent lamp-stem.

lf desired, the steel tapes or belts 324 may be made therein withoutdepartingfrom the spirit and scope of the appende claims.

1What is claimed is:- Y l. An apparatus :for annealing lampstemscomprising a chamber, an opening disposed longitudinally of saidchamber, means Afor creating a heat-zone within said chamber having atemperature gradient, means adjacent to said opening for automaticallyconveying stems through said Zone and means for supporting stems withtheir iared portions bridging said opening.v

Q ,An apparatus for annealing lampstems comprising a chamber, means forcreating a heatzone within said chamber having a temperature gradientand a conveyor comprising a plurality of belts for engagement with thedare portions of stems and means for actuating said conveyor to moveportions of the lengths of said stems through said heat Zones.

An' apparatusfor annealing lampstems comprising a chamber having anaperture therein, means for producing a temperature gradient Within saidchamber and means adjacent said aperture for automatically movingportions of lamp-stems withf in said chamber to subject said portions togradually varying temperatures.

1 -An apparatus for annealing lampstems comprising a chamber having anaperture at one side, means for producing a temperature gradient Withinsaid chamber and means adjacent said aperture to autosoy maticallyconvey stems longitudinally of the i chamber, to subject the stemschanging temperatures.

5. An apparatus for annealing la1np stems comprising a chamber, meansfor cre to gradually y ating a temperature gradient within said chamber,an elongated aperture in one side of said chamber, a conveyor-beltdisposed within said aperture 'for engagement with the Hare portions ofthe stems to move relatively long portions of said stems within saidchamber and means for discharging 'said stems from said conveyor.

6. An apparatus for annealing lampstems comprising a chamber, means iorcreating a heat-zone within said chamber and two movable membersdisposed in parallel operative relation to said 'zone said members beingadapted to support stems with the flare portions thereof bridgin saidmembers and with portions thereo disposed in said zone.

7. An apparatus for annealing lampstems comprising a chamber, means forcreating aheated atmosphere in said chamber, two movable membersdisposed in parallel operative relation to said chamber and ada ted toconvey stems with portions thereof isposed in said chamber and means fordischarging said stems from said conveyor.

8. An apparatus for annealing lampstems comprising a chamber having anelongatedV opening on one side thereof, means for creating a heatedatmosphere within said chamber and means for moving stems with the liareportions thereof disposed over said aperture, whereby said flaressubstantially constitute a closure.v

9. An apparatus for annealing lamp-stems comprising a chamber having anelongated opening on one side thereof, a plurality of burners withinsaid chamber to roduce a temperature gradient and a movable supportadapted to engage the flare portions of stems to convey said stems withportions thereof disposed within said chamber and subjecting the stemsto gradually decreasing temperatures.

10. An apparatus for annealing lampstems comprising a chamber having anaperture at one side thereof, means for creating a heated atmosphere insaid chamber and automatically movable stem-supporting members disposed'adjacent said aperture and adapted to receive and support stems withthe 'ange portions thereof .bridging said aperture and the lowerportions of said stems disposed Within said chamber.

l1. An apparatus `for annealing lamp stems comprising a chamber havingan aperture at one side' thereo"7 means` for creating a heatedatmosphere in said chamber, automatically movable stem-Supportingmembers' disposed adjacent said aperture and adapted to receive andsupport stems with the flange portions thereof bridging said apertureand the lower portions of 'said stems disposedv Within said chamber andmeans for discharging said stems consecutively from said supports. f

l2. An apparatus for annealing lampstems comprising a chamber having anaper ture at one side thereof, means" for creating" 1922. roanjnsr URBANRoss. l

